Lexington Sporting Club reached a 2-2 draw at Toyota Stadium against Charlotte Independence on Sunday, with the match marking the first of interim head coach Nacho Novo.
The draw brings the club’s record to 7-12-9 (30 points), remaining in 9th in the league standings. The result also saw Charlotte Ind. improve to 12-8-8 (44 points), standing at 4th in the league.
Lexington SC entered the match on the back of a 2-2 draw against CV Fuego FC at Fresno State University Soccer Stadium, which saw the club give up a stoppage time equalizer.
Prior to the match against the Independence the club announced that former head coach Sam Stockley would move to focus more on his primary role as sporting director, putting the former assistant Novo at the helm.
To make matters worse, the game was delayed by over an hour due to lightning in the area that was first detected during the team’s warmups.
Once play got underway the home side put on the pressure early, earning a penalty kick in the 24th minute. Shockingly, Lexington SC’s perfect penalty kick record came to an end as Ates Diouf’s attempt was blocked.
The visitors then became the first to find the net in the 33rd minute, sneaking one past Amal Knight to take the lead.
The home club entered the break trailing and determined to fight for a late playoff push.
The boys in green found their equalizer in the 60th minute when Pierre Mané scored his first of the season on a put-back header.
Stunningly, the club took the lead just minutes later in the 67th when a cross into the box was poorly handled by Charlotte’s Joel Johnson, who slid the ball into the net for an own goal.
The lead would be short lived however as the visitors found an equalizer in the 72nd minute in what would ultimately be the final goal of the night.
Both teams continued to fight for a winner but all attempts would be in vain as the final whistle brought a sharing of points and a 2-2 draw.
Lexington SC controlled the possession in the match, holding the ball 57.8% of the time while also winning in expected goals, seeing a 2.39 to 0.79 advantage.
Next up for Lexington SC the boys in green will remain home on September 23 against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.
Fans can purchase tickets to the match against Charlotte through the link here.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.